


Missteps

by amaltheametalweld



Category: Far Cry 5
Genre: Cult drama, Drug Use, F/M, Kidnapping
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-18
Updated: 2019-06-03
Packaged: 2020-03-07 05:36:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,686
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18866794
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amaltheametalweld/pseuds/amaltheametalweld
Summary: The Father has taken a special interest in Annette and she finds herself kidnapped by the cult. Pre-game fic!





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is another of my I have no idea where it's headed fics, so be prepared for random  
> 3am plotlines 😉 Also I know that the church in the game has regular windows, but I really wanted the rainbow light!!

Annette stopped at the Eden's Gate church on her way into town. The Father had been kind enough to send his brother John to help her sort out a few legal squabbles with the owners of the large farm next to her house, and she had mentioned she wanted to thank him personally. The Baptist had seemed thrilled with this and told her to drop by the next day when Joseph would be available. So here she was wearing her favorite lavender dress, driving through a barbed wire lined street to do just that.

The church was located centrally in the heavily guarded and fenced compound that served as the group's headquarters, a fact Ann found more than a little intimidating. She reminded herself that she had been invited, and despite the rough appearance of these people, so far everyone she had met in this cult had been kind.

As she got to the front gate, the guards instructed her to park around the side and wait for an escort. It didn't take long to get from the car to the church. Ann and her very quiet guide passed a few buildings and several groups of people doing odd jobs like drying flowers and burning yard debris before reaching the distinctive white building. The shaggy haired man that had brought her this far excused himself and left her waiting at the threshold as he went inside. He returned a moment later and indicated that she was to enter alone.

It was surprisingly quiet and empty after all the hustle and bustle outside. Light filtering through the stained glass windows filled the large main room and seemed to almost glow around the man sitting by the podium. It looked as though she had caught him preparing for a sermon. He had a thick leather notebook that he was closing as she walked in and a Bible and the Book of Joseph spread about him.

"Hello, my child, please do come in," he greeted warmly as she strolled down the isle towards him. "I trust John was able to help you." The Father held out his hands to take hers and draw her further into his personal space. Ann normally wouldn't have minded, but he wasn't wearing a shirt. He was practically wreathed in a halo of light and it was glinting across his exposed skin in ways Ann had only seen in paintings. And hell, his pants were riding so low she was trying not to notice the word LUST threatening to drag her eyeline even lower.

"Yes, he managed to clear everything up and I just wanted to let you know how grateful I am to both of you." She made a conscious decision to look firmly in his eyes and smile at this man who definitely did not deserve to be oggled at no matter how magical the lighting was this time of day. He met her gaze with an almost unsettling intensity.

"I try to look out for all of my children." He managed to press himself even closer, "God has called me to save as many as I can, and I was hoping for an opportunity to bring someone as special as you into my flock." Joseph's hands releasing hers traveled lightly up her arms as his forehead came to rest against her own.

"Special? What are you talking about?" His tone alarmed her and she instinctively stumbled backwards away from his touch.

"Annette, we are all special," he turned from her disappointedly and grabbed something off the podium Ann couldn't see. He turned back to face her "and I know you are afraid. Afraid to surrender, afraid to sacrifice, afraid of what may happen tomorrow," Joseph closed the distance between them slowly, pouring powder into his hand. "but I am here now."

The suddenness with which the world went white should have frightened her. Instead she felt warm and relaxed. "I am your Father and you no longer have to be afraid." The Father glowing in the light came back briefly into focus. The warmth she felt was his body as he held her steady. He brushed her hair back out of her face. "I will guide you along the path and together we will walk through the gates of Eden." Annette didn't know what that meant. Her last thought before slipping into darkness was that going Eden with him would be wonderful.

___

When she woke up the feeling of safety and comfort remained. The strange room and the woman in white could only be good and beautiful. Of course Faith Seed was beautiful without the effects of Bliss tainting Ann's vision, but now she seemed absolutely radiant.

The Herald noticed Annette's clumsy attempts to stand, and gently pushed her back down in the bed. "Why don't you rest a little longer until I'm ready for you?" The suggestion seemed delightful.

"M'kay" she hummed laying back and closing her eyes. Sleep came quickly.

___

The Bliss was little more than a satisfying buzz when Ann awoke the second time. She struggled to stay in the breezy field of flowers from her dreams, but the voices in the room drew her mind back to reality. It took a moment to focus but she finally sat up blinking at the florescent harshness and the metal walls.

As she looked around the room she recognized the figure of John, but she couldn't identify the blond with him. There was only a vague memory of liking her gentle voice and manner earlier. She couldn't understand what they were saying , but they were both happily chatting away in hushed tones. She assumed it was to keep from disturbing her.

"Did I pass out?" She asked. The two stopped talking, and John cooly strode over to sit beside her on the small cot.

"Yes. Yes you did, and our people brought you to my bunker to see one of the doctors here." He ran his hands soothingly through her hair to quiet her while he continued. She was so distracted by the motion that she didn't notice Faith settling on her other side until she felt her arms wrapping around her body. "Now you're going to go stay with my sister Faith. She'll take very good care of you until you're better."

"Oh but I don't feel sick." Trapped between the siblings she was confused, and looked at both of them for assurance.

"Well did you feel sick before you fainted?" He asked knowing very well that she had been fine.

"No, but-" she had nothing to counter with.

"Then how do you know it won't happen again? It's not like we can just let you drive home in your state."

"I guess not." She looked down at her hands, and back up to Faith.

"So you'll come home with me." Ann got an enthusiastic squeeze from the small woman. "And don't worry, you're going to love it!"

Faith stood and began to pull Ann to her feet. When she stood the world began to spin and tilt. John's hand rushed to steady her from behind and Faith held her hands to keep her from falling forward.

"Careful now! Take your time." John admonished.

"Wow, that's not good. What exactly did the doctor say was wrong with me?"

The Baptist's tone became softer, "She said there's nothing to worry about as long as you get some rest and take your medication. Let's see if we can get you to the car. I had Samuel bring a wheelchair earlier in case we needed it." They helped her into the chair and a set of armed men joined them as they traveled out into the dark corridors.

Exiting the bunker required traveling up a couple flights of stairs. John delegated the task of carrying her to one of the guards, a younger man built like a moose fittingly called Truck. He hefted her like a sack of potatoes. Ann found herself mentally betting how far he could throw a full bale of hay to avoid awkward small talk. Truck set her back in the wheelchair and John took over pushing her to the waiting SUV.

Once she was settled inside and buckled up, two of the men settled into the car alongside her. It briefly occurred to her that they were blocking her in, but she pushed it out of her mind when a wave of dizziness came over her. The man to her left put a hand on her arm.

"You gonna need a bucket, Sister?"

"I'm just dizzy, but thanks." She placed her head in her hands willing the world to slow down. She was so caught up in her own misery that she missed the conversation happening outside between the Heralds.

___

"She's coming down a little slower than I'd like, but I think once she acclimates to the Bliss she'll be perfect." Faith was genuinely pleased with the new recruit, and she wasn't surprised by John's reply.

"Well let me know if she has any trouble acclimating. She didn't sound quite ready to leave her sins behind her. We are here to help one another after all." Faith silently wondered why the word ENVY wasn't prominently displayed across his chest instead of SLOTH. Joseph had specifically asked her to handle Ann to keep her out of the more volatile clutches of their brothers. He wanted a softer approach.

"Thank you John, but I'm perfectly capable of dealing with this." She kept up her sweet pliant facade, "The Father entrusted her to me. He's sure my methods are right for Sister Annette and he's never wrong." She began to turn to get into the passenger side of the SUV when John caught her roughly.

His tone was harsh and quiet meant only for her ears, "Try to remember the Father wants this one back in one piece. He expects to see her at your side on Sundays, no excuses. You lose her in the Bliss he will be -- disappointed." Faith swallowed, and returned her smile to it's customary intensity before opening the car door.

The lingering memory of the last Faith, a tall woman with black hair, laying at the bottom of the angel pit, flashed before her eyes, and she glanced at the woman in the backseat. John hadn't outright made the threat, but she still shuddered as she turned on the radio. It was clear to her that the Father thought something was different about this one, and she prayed that she wasn't training her replacement. The ride back to the Henbane was longer than usual. Ann had fallen asleep by the time they arrived.

___

The Father sat in his quiet cabin that night. His notes on the sermon he was planning remained untouched on the desk in front of him. The woman from his visions, Annette, was finally safely in the flock where she belonged. But he just couldn't get the image of her frightened face out of his mind.

He had moved too quickly, he was sure of it. He had already been excited by the idea of completing his mission with her at his side, and then she walked up the isle of his church with that look of awe on her face. The light did beautiful things to the candle lit sanctuary around nine in the morning. It had felt surreal when Ann reached the altar and stood between those windows bathed in light like a sign from the Almighty that she was meant for him.

But something went wrong. He had her in his hands one moment and the next she was backing away, rejecting him. The Voice had warned him to make every effort to bring her in gently, and he had thankfully been prepared with a strong dose of Bliss.

He would have rather talked her down without the drug. However he had seen the way that fear took over leaving no choice but to resort to physically restraining, sometimes violently, those having trouble seeing the truth. The Voice had supplied the Bliss to make that truth easier to see, and there was no one Joseph needed to see and understand more than her. That's why he had sent her to Faith. She would help Annette see he knew it.

Perhaps he would go to visit John. His eagerness for her had amounted to lust and greed, and he needed to atone. Then he could rest easy knowing that he had paid for the mistakes he made today, and that he was firmly back on the path to Eden. His mind made up, Joseph set out for the ranch, his thoughts brighter already at the thought of cleansing his guilt.

___

Annette began to settle into her room in Faith's cabin in the Henbane. The place was small, but it had been made to look cozy and cheerful. There were swags of flowers hanging along the walls and white lace curtains on the windows. The bed was a modest, twin size with a floral patterned quilt and pastel blue bed linens.

The Bliss was now well and truly working it's way out of her system, and all the sleep she'd had couldn't prevent the withdrawal that she was experiencing. She looked in the mirror over the dresser at herself. There was blotchy redness around her eyes and she could swear her irises were much yellower than their normal blue-green. The pounding in her head was becoming unbearable, and she wondered what could be happening to her. Ann switched off the lamp by her bed and decided that was a problem for tomorrow.

___

Breakfast at Faith's was a casual affair. The Herald and several cult members crowded around a generously provisioned farm table on the side of the house. Ann felt at ease as she joined them wearing the yellow gingham dress a kind woman named Debbie had given her. It was a little too long for her petite frame so she had to pin it up at the waist, but other than that it fit nicely.

"Good morning, Sister Annette! Come sit by me." Faith's bright greeting came over the group's chatter, and Anne steered around the perimeter of the table to sit alongside her.

"I didn't realize there were so many people here." she said as she began to load a small plate with potatoes, eggs, and toast.

"Yes we like to eat as a family around here. It helps us to be together before the day's work begins to remind us why our efforts are so important to the Project." She was projecting her voice loudly enough for the whole table to hear. The people around the Herald murmured and nodded in agreement before returning to their food and conversation as if nothing had happened.

"What kind of work do you do exactly?" Ann asked after the "amen"s and "praise the Father"s had died down. She was grateful when Faith replied normally.

"The Henbane is good farming country, so the Father has entrusted me with most of the crop growing and harvesting. We also take in the more troubled souls who need extra guidance and peace." Annette was a little surprised by this she had always envisioned the cult as small scale farmers. If Faith was genuinely feeding the huge number of people in the Project it must be more sophisticated than she imagined.

"I knew that the cul- the Project went for the whole farming and living off the land thing, but I didn't realize it was you personally doing all that," she admitted. Faith seemed pleased with the acknowledgement.

"Well the others all have tasks of their own to prepare for the Collapse, but some farming does happen outside my region." Faith admitted. Ann was more interested to know about this Collapse business, and as she would be leaving soon, she figured now was the best time to ask.

"I keep hearing about the Collapse. I mean I know you believe the end of the world is coming but I just never got a really clear grasp on what's going on with all that."

"That's a deeper conversation than we have time for this morning." Faith was finishing with her own breakfast and Ann wondered if she had missed her chance. "There is a copy of the Word of Joseph in your room. You're supposed to be in bed resting today, so I recommend that you read it." The sweetness of the words didn't hide the authority behind the suggestion. It sent that same sense of unsettled discomfort rushing through her as her meeting with the Father had.

"I feel fine this morning other than a headache. I was hoping to be able to head home this afternoon or tonight. I doubt I'll make it through the whole book." She was hoping that the challenge was subtle enough, but Faith countered with a smile.

"We talked about this. You may feel fine, but you're in no condition to go anywhere. It would be irresponsible of me to leave you at home alone." The kindness of the cult suddenly seemed to be clicking into place in Annette's brain. She wasn't leaving at all, and Faith's earlier statement about those who need guidance clearly applied to her.

"It's not like I live alone, and besides I can-"

"Ann, that's enough." Faith warned icily before returning to her earlier, warm demeanor "We aren't going to argue about this. The doctor left very strict instructions that you will follow, one of them being that you take this medication" She pulled a bottle out of her pocket and handed it to Ann. "every day after breakfast. Please just take your pill and lay down."

In the end feeling humiliated by the stares, Ann took the pill before leaving for the little room assigned to her. She never made it.

___

She woke up in a strange wooded area with one of her arms covered in her own vomit. There were leaves in her hair and mud all down her new yellow dress. That warm white buzz was back in her head and her peripheral vision swam with stars. She knew she wanted to get away from something but she couldn't remember what.

Sitting up brought nothing into focus. The movement left distorted trails of shape and light, and standing was worse. Her mind focused on the sound of moving water. Ann staggered towards it. She almost tripped and landed in the river as it took her a moment to process that she'd reached it.

She shook off her shoes and waded into the water bending over to cleanse herself of the sticky mess down her arm and the larger part of the mud from her dress. Splashing water on her face she decided to just go in deeper for a swim and let the river wash away the mess of sweat and leaves from her hair.

Some time later she was still in the river floating gently downstream watching the clouds. She had forgotten about the incident with Faith and about the cult in general. Blissfully stretching out her arms and legs in the cool water she let her ears fill with the calm waves and thought of nothing but the shapes above her.

___

This scene was of course a bit confusing to Hurk who was just trying to get in a quiet day of drinking and fishing. Women generally didn't come floating down the river in bright yellow dresses high as a kite giggling to themselves about clouds.

"Sweet monkey Jesus!" He cursed to himself. "Do you need help lady?" She didn't respond, but his curiosity had been piqued enough to get him out of his lawn chair and into the river.

Annette watched the man standing over her and smiled in recognition. "Hurky!"

"Annette? What in the name of the Monkey King are you doin in the river?" He reached down around her waist and pulled her closer to shore seeing her blown pupils and that distinctive green glow in her eyes.

Hurk knew he would need backup for this if he had to detox a half drowned Anne. He called Sharky as soon as he managed to get the uncoordinated woman out of the water and into his folding chair. His cousin agreed to come by and pick the two of them up in his truck.

___

Meanwhile Faith was genuinely frightened for her life as she sent out teams to find her missing charge. Making the radio call to the Father was inevitable, and she sent everyone out of the room as she settled in to her chair.

"Father, this is Faith we have a situation with Annette." She held her breath as she waited hoping he hadn't heard her.

"My Annette?"

"Yes, Father. She's missing. She wandered off this morning after taking a strong dose of Bliss."

"Child, Sister, I have given you a simple task. Now I will give you another one. Find her. Call in Jacob if you have to. I want her unharmed and in my compound by tomorrow morning."

"Yes Father."

___

Joseph clipped the walkie back to his belt. He did his best to quell the wrath rising up inside him as he strode towards his SUV. He hadn't asked questions of his newest sister, that would be John's job.

The radio buzzed at his hip, "I hear Faith lost your little bird."

"Jacob, I'm counting on you to set my girls back on the path. Faith needs you and dear Annette, lost in the wild, must be found."

"Dear Annette, huh? You'll have to tell me what's going on with that one sometime. She anything like that lamb you keep mentioning is coming?"

"The Voice has shown her to me in visions, but she will not bring the Reckoning, no."

"Alright, well we're pulling up at Faith's, I'll radio when we find something."

"Thank you, I'm heading over to see John in the chapel."

___

Sharky pulled his truck up as close as he dared to the river. He and Hurk were dumbfounded by how Ann had gotten into "that green Peggie shit" as his cousin so eloquently called it. But as they both had a record of getting wasted and doing reckless things themselves, they didn't really judge their friend too much for getting wrecked and going for a swim. They were just trying to figure the best way to get her home without anyone getting arrested.

"Well the way I figure it, we best take her to my place to sleep it off. That friend of hers, Hilly has called the cops on me before. Not that I blame her. I did set her car on fire with those molotovs - though in my defense she did pull into the driveway while two of them were already midair. The third one was just clumsiness. Now, I take responsibility for that one."

Sharky's story drew a genuine laugh from Ann who may or may not have helped him with the incendiary bottles in her backyard on the day in question. Hurk just shook his head remembering his cousin hiding out in his dad's bunker until the police gave up looking for him.

"It's up to Annie here. You want to go with Shark Man or you ready to go home?"

"Mmmhm."

"That wasn't exactly a yes or no question, ladybruh."

"Less go wit Ssharky." She was barely coherent enough to string together her slurred sentence, but that was even more incentive for the guys to agree to head to the trailer where the pyro lived.

___

The next morning Annette had a very different breakfast experience from the day before. First off it was about four-thirty, and the table outside by the bonfire was stocked with various bottles of liquor that her companions were tossing into the flames as soon as they were emptied. Her plate was loaded with pizza from the Spread Eagle with a can of ginger ale beside it to settle her stomach. She couldn't remember much of the day before, but listening to the story of her strange encounter with the Seeds starting with Joseph made the cousins both confused and angry.

"So they basically kidnapped and drugged you." Hurk said disgustedly.

"Yeah that's the short version. Man, I can't wait to go home after all this." She yawned feeling absolutely drained. "I think I'll have to call Hilly to come get me though."

"Well I can take you home, chica." Sharky offered.

"How many of those bottles have you had?" Ann pointed out around a mouthful of pizza.

"Not enough to impede my driving." He said proudly.

"No thank you, I'll take the sober express home. I've had enough adventures, thanks. Can I borrow somebody's phone?"

___

Dr. Hillary Phillips was thrilled to hear from her missing roommate, and more than happy to come by the trailer park to collect her. The early hour of the bizarre phone call was actually convenient since it meant she hadn't left for her morning shift at the hospital in Missoula.

Though it would prove less convenient for Ann as it meant Hilly could drag her along to the hospital for a full physical and a blood test to find out what exactly she had been dosed with. This of course led to a fun argument about whether or not to pick a fight with the Seeds by filing a police report. In the end it was left undecided.

So instead of heading straight home, it took well past lunch for Annette to make it back to her own snug bed. As she drifted off she hoped that was the end of her problems with the Project at Eden's Gate. She seriously doubted it.

She was right.


	2. Chapter 2

John got word of Annette's whereabouts before anyone else thanks to Nancy. Hilly had called in to the police station tell them her missing roommate was safe at home. As the main person in charge of dispatch, the call had gone straight to Nancy and the information went straight to John.

He radioed Faith.

"Faith are you there?" He asked with a tone full of honey.

"Yes, John. How can I help you?" She sounded tired and to his trained ear, frightened underneath the forced joy.

"I believe I was harsh with you the other day, and I've just come up with a way to make it up to you."

"There's no need to apologise. You know I could never hold anything against you."

"Gracious as always, that's why you have always been my favorite sister. And that's why you're going to be the first to know that I've located Ann."

"Thank the Father! Is she alright?"

"She is safe and snug in her own home, and the police have closed her missing persons case. I'm going to leave it to you to tell Joseph. I'd hurry if I were you before the gossips tell him first."

___

The knocking on the door pulled Ann away from her supper. She hadn't really bothered to change out of her pajamas and her hair was wet from her shower, but she got up to answer the door anyways.

The last person she was expecting to see was Joseph Seed, but there he was standing on her porch in his embroidered vest and high collared shirt looking at her with those incredibly blue eyes. She kept the screen door shut between them.

"What do you want?" the fear and anger in her tone made him pause. He felt that familiar guilt creeping up like it had in the church after he Blissed her.

"I heard what happened with my sister, Faith. You, lost in the wild with that level of Bliss in your system…that never should have been allowed." He felt himself stumbling in his normally smooth rhetoric. "We were all so worried about you. I just wanted to apologise."

"You drugged me. I nearly drowned. You can't just -" Annette was so infuriated but she was trying her best not to raise her voice. Her mother had always taught her the louder you yell the harder it is for the other person to really hear you, and right now she needed to be heard.

"Faith will be dealt with, I assure you." When he cut her off while blaming someone else it was hard to keep her voice level.

" _Faith?_ You did this to me." The Father could hear how done with him she was and he desperately tried to salvage the situation.

"My dear Annette, I -" she cut him off this time.

"No. Just stop. I don't care why you did it. I don't want to know what lies you tell yourself that make you think this is okay. I just want you to leave. Please. Just go. That's all I want." She paused remembering, "Well getting my car back would be nice, but mostly I just want you to go."

Her resolve was clear and his own was currently shrinking in shame.

"Very well. I am sorry for what you endured." Was all he said before leaving.

___

He quietly returned her car later that night. She walked out in the morning to check the mailbox and found it sitting in the driveway. She was insulted to see the paint job had been modified in the three days it had been gone. The sleek navy blue Mustang was now marred by a bold white Eden's Gate cross surrounded by flowers on the side door.

She wanted to cry she was so mad.

Ann tried to console herself that it was better than the horrible spray can style alterations she'd seen, but she still couldn't bear the idea of driving her car like this. She just walked around it in mute horror to check the other-- yep, they fucked up both sides of her car.

"Hilly!" She yelled to her friend who rushed from the house to see what was wrong.

"Oh you got your…oh God I'm sorry, Ann." She had the same injured astonishment as her friend.

"It's on both sides!"

"If it didn't stand for a doomsday cult that kidnapped and drugged you, I'd say it was almost pretty." Hillary tried to smile, but it came across as an uncomfortable grimace.

"Don't you fucking dare!"

"Maybe your insurance will cover it. Do cult slogans count as an act of God or…?"

"I'd have an easier time if someone had just spray painted 'CUNT' across the hood of my car. This has hand painted roses and a filigree cross! How the hell am I supposed to prove it was malicious? I can't even say they stole my car since I parked it there!" Hilly looked at her friend nervously, knowing there was nothing she could do, and checked her phone.

"I hate that this happened to you, but I really have to get ready for work. I've got surgeries booked wall to wall today, and there's no way I'm letting Tomston deal with that alone.

"Alright, go save some save some lives Wonder Woman. I need to head into work myself. I'm not driving this thing though."

___

The Father meant what he said when he told Annette he would deal with Faith, but now that his newest sister stood before him he couldn't help feeling as though he shared much of the blame. This of course wouldn't spare Faith the Atonement for her failings. It would be up to John to figure out which of her sins were responsible for losing Ann.

He already knew his own sins had been dealt with the night Annette had come to his church so willingly and yet so unready to stand by his side. Now it was Faith's turn.

"My Faith," he said drawing her closer to himself in the little church. The forehead touch was tender. His tone was cold and firm. "I asked that you watch over my beloved Annette. You did not. I asked that you return her to me yesterday morning. In this you also failed." He let the silence hang heavy between them for a moment.

Faith's mouth was dry. Answering seemed so dangerous. Her words and her wiles were useless in this moment. So she relied on the only thing she had, faith. She sank to her knees before the Father, the man who had saved her and she wordlessly prayed that he would save her once again.

He softly placed a hand on her bowed head, pleased with her humility and her acceptance of his words.

"I've had a word with John. You're going to stay with him for awhile. He will cleanse you of this sin that you may walk among us a new creation, sinless as the angels."

Faith had never been so delighted to go under the heavy hand of John. It meant Joseph still believed in her. All she had to do was believe in him, and everything would be well.

"Yes Father, thank you!" She smiled up at him. Everything would be okay.

"You will stay with John until your wounds have completely healed. The work you do for the Project is too important to our survival after the Collapse to risk you getting overwhelmed by the Bliss while you are weak. I will oversee your work until you are ready to return to your duties."

"If it is the will of the Father, I'm ready to obey." She said quietly.

"I knew you would be, Sister." He took her hand and brought her to her feet. "John's men are waiting to take you to his home. Eat something and rest up." The tenderness had returned to his voice, and Faith knew he intended her to live. "When we have all finished our work for the day, we will all join you for supper and pray with you before John takes your Confession."

___

Eventually Annette gave in and drove to the small antique store she ran in Falls End. She cringed every time she passed another vehicle promising herself that it was only temporary. Pulling up to the familiar brick building she parked around back where the Peggie decor wouldn't scare off her customers.

Coming in the door she was pleased to see her only employee, a sweet woman named Caitlin had already started the day. They usually didn't open until ten thirty, but there was always work to be done.

"Hey Caitlin!" Ann greeted setting down her bag in the back room where she did most of her restoration work. "I'm glad to see you haven't abandoned me after all this." She joked. Ann had filled her in on the phone the night before.

"Oh it's no problem!" The tall redhead said giving her a squench that nearly lifted her off the ground. "I mean you are paying me after all." The two women laughed.

"Oh, before we get started, I just want you to go look out back."

"Why?" Caitlin asked not really sure she wanted to know the answer.

"I got my car back this morning. I wanted to be sure you to know I had nothing to do with this."

"Oh no. They didn't. The 'Stang?"

"They did."

Caitlin walked out the back to see the embellished car and gasped. Looking closer at the white flowers she almost admired the clean artwork.

"It's actually not hideous. It's obviously not something you want to be caught dead driving, but they at least had the decency to get someone who knows what they're doing."

"God, why does everyone keep defending this eyesore! It's cult propaganda! What it stands for is what makes it ugly."

"So you like it too?" Caitlin teased.

"I wish I was good at insults so I could throw something appropriately witty at you right now. Just-- just go back inside."

___

For his part, John had less pity for Faith, and more for Annette. He had no doubt that his brother would find a way to reel her in, but hearing from Joseph during his last visit her true place, he was determined to keep an eye on her himself. She did live in his territory after all.

For now it seemed Ann was away from the loving embrace of the family she destined to join. John remembered being separated from the Seed clan while living in sin and how healing it had been for each of the four to come home. He was not going to allow his newest sister to live entirely without their company for long.

___

Business had been slower than usual. The few customers who had come in to Ann's store were mostly browsing. They did manage to sell a few smaller knick-knacks and a vanity. Hardly enough traffic to justify both women being there.

Annette was mentioning to Caitlin that she could leave early if she wanted, when the bells on the front door jingled as two men walked in. Two Seeds to be precise. Caitlin balked, and Ann pointed towards the back door.

"I'll take care of this. Go on home."

"I can't leave you! What if they try to take you again?"

"Then they'll only be taking me, not both of us. If I don't call you in an hour, get the Sheriff over here."

She came to the front of the store where John and Jacob were both discussing the merits of an apothecary cabinet like they couldn't hear the obvious exchange between the women a few yards away by the register.

"Can I help you gentlemen with something or do you just enjoy harassing me?" She said in her best customer service voice.

"I heard about what you went through, and--" John's words were cut off by Annette's

"You heard about it? You were part of it. Hell, if it wasn't for you I never would have ended up in that godforsaken church, much less drugged and kidnapped!" She couldn't believe he had the gall to act innocent.

"We were trying to help. You were very --"

Annette pulled a gun out of her coat pocket ending John's sentence abruptly. She pointed it at the floor but the effect was the same as if she aimed at him.

"If you pull that gaslighting, I-was-sick bullshit one more time, I will shoot you - swear to God. I am not a moron. Your crazy brother drugged me, and whatever the hell you thought you were doing, it didn't help. I almost died!"

"Hey." Jacob pulled out his own gun and pointed it at Ann. "Put down the gun."

"Now, Jacob, is that any way to treat our new sister?" John put a hand on his brother's gun arm forcing him to lower it. "Annette, we're not here to fight."

"Then either buy something or get out. I'm in no mood for your proselytizing or your lies!" She slammed her gun down on the writing desk to her right and gestured towards the door. Jacob holstered his gun and made to do just that. She turned gratefully and headed back to the checkout counter. John pulled out his pocket book and smiled like a kid at Christmas.

"How many of those delightful antler chandeliers do you have?" He said waving his wallet towards the giant light fixture hanging over the dining set on the next row.

Annette blanched. Those things were such a damn hassle. He would pick one of the most expensive, pain-in-the-ass things in the whole store to spite her. She considered lying, but remembered how well that went for her neighbor earlier in the week. John had practically eaten that man alive and caught every slip. No. If she wanted to be rid of him, she would have to do it honestly.

"We've got three or four, but they're not all identical. They're not even really a set. They're just made by the same guy." She admitted trying not to cry with frustration.

"I'll take all of them, and I want the man's contact information. I'd like to commission a few more." The gleam in his eye told her he was going to make trouble.

She was trying her best to get through this sale as quickly as possible, and she really hoped he wouldn't go through the roof when she told him his fetish for weird lighting would have to be satisfied with what she had in stock.

"I got them at an estate sale, John. The guy's dead. He mostly made lamps and things. It was probably too hard to ethically source that many elk and deer antlers." She tried to make it sound like it was no big deal.

"Hmm, so where are these lamps and things?" John latched onto this new idea and Annette tried to remain professional. The better she acted the faster he'd leave, she reminded herself.

"Some are in the lamp section over there, there's a few coat hangers and sculptures by the bleached skulls on the wall there, and the rest is in the back. But I should warn you there is a lamp limit. Four to be precise." She was almost at her bullshit limit, and she could tell dealing with John was going to push her past it today.

"What the fuck is a lamp limit?" Jacob helpfully interjected. She'd somehow almost forgotten about the giant redhead in her absolute fury with his brother.

"Exactly what it sounds like. You can only buy four lamps. We had to do that when one of the bigger stores tried to buy us out a few months ago." She rolled her eyes remembering the rude man chatting with his assistant about how much money they were going to make once they cleaned her "ratty shack" out of the distinctive lamps. Ann had instated the wholsale ban just to spite the big city bastard for insulting her shop.

"What if I want more than four?" John sounded incredulous. It seemed she was spiting another bastard with her admittedly childish lamp limit.

"Then that's considered a bulk sale and we don't do that here. Only four per customer." She was struggling with her customer service tone, but it held.

"Fine." John stormed over to the lighting section and came back a few moments later with an arm full of lamps which he set on the check out counter.

"Uh, John that's seven lamps." She counted again to herself wondering how badly she wanted to fight him on this.

"I can see that. I'm going back for Jacob's fourth lamp."

"No. That's not how that works."

"Four per customer. Two customers. Eight lamps." John said matter of factly before disappearing down the isles again.

Annette turned to Jacob annoyed by the whole situation. "So you suddenly want to buy almost $130 worth of lamps?"

"Yes ma'am." Jacob smirked knowingly.

"Well you better pull that money out of your own pocket. If he hands you anything to pay for those you are considered together and you only get four lamps."

Jacob only chuckled.

"Oh my God, he's insane." Ann mumbled under her breath seeing John return with the antler lamp, two wall mounted coat hangers, and several skulls. He placed them on the counter and met her eyes triumphantly.

"I'm trying to imagine why you need that many lamps, and the only thing I can come up with is that you've been living by candlelight just for _aesthetics_ the whole time you've been here." Annette said staring back at him with a look between horror and bewilderment.

"Do you want me to buy anything from your store or not?" With the air of one of those speak-to-the-manager type customers Ann hated so much.

"No! I've been trying to get you to leave since you came in here. I don't give a shit about your money!" The exclamation stunned John who was banking on her not wanting to lose his business to get away with the visit and his antler themed loot.

"Well," John gripped the closest of his rustic lamps like she was about to steal them, "I'm still buying all this."

"Fine. Just--buy it if you want it so bad." John went back to looking cheerful so quickly it was scary. "Have someone else come pick the chandeliers up tomorrow. I'm closing as soon as we're done here." She spoke while ringing up his total. "How are you paying for this?"

"Debit." He said sliding the card out of his wallet.

"Alright. I'm not even going to say that ungodly total out loud she said turning the display so he could see the literal thousands of dollars he'd just spurriously dropped on mood lighting. That's for four chandeliers, four lamps, and the rest of this. Your brother still has to buy his lamps separately."

John was secretly and not so secretly thrilled. Something about seeing all those numbers gave him a rush. It was one of the vices that John allowed himself. As the deep pockets behind the Project it only made sense that he would be involved in the larger transactions, but it also tempted him into more private spending having that shiny card so close at hand.

"There you are." John finished his end of the transaction, smugly added, "You know, for someone who doesn't care about my money you charge an awful lot for those."

"I charge what they're worth." She began ringing up Jacob's lamps annoyed that he had the audacity to complain about money. "$127.85" was all she said to the elder brother.

Jacob dug around in his pockets and pulled out a folded bunch of cash and then counted out exact change for the purchase.

The brothers gathered their items and finally left. Ann called Caitlin to tell her how there was no way in any circle of hell she was dealing with this guy tomorrow too without committing murder. She looked around thinking about the gun she'd left on the desk in the middle of the showroom. When she made her way over to the inlaid rolltop she quietly cursed. The gun was gone. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do I head-cannon John sending people to buy all of those lamps four at a time just to be petty? Yes. Yes I do.


End file.
